Webbys & IIA
October 1, 2007 at 11:39 am
I think it might be a good idea to clarify the IIA position re. the Webbys. Last year I met with Fergal O’Byrne, Managing Director of the IIA, and told him all about my new involvement with the Webbys. He agreed that they are the one truly global web awards and was rather enthusiastic about putting some more Irish sites on the global scale. An internet marketer by background, he recognised immediately the potential for huge increases in business amongst those who make it to the shortlist, let alone those who win their category. He spoke about realigning the categories of the Net Visionary awards to match those of the Webbys so that Net Visionary nominees might go on to enter the Webbys. We tossed about the idea of possibly getting category sponsors to cover the entry fee for the Webbys. It was all good.
Fast forward to summer. I made many attempts to reach Fergal to bring up the subject of the Webbys again. Fainlly I received an email that stated that the IIA was not going to have anything to do with the Webbys. “We are trying very hard to build the Net Visionary Awards to be the biggest Irish Internet Awards and so I don’t want to dilute the brand itself.”
So the IIA is more interested in trying to get bums on seats at its awards ceremony? It can’t risk ‘diluting its brand’ by bringing forward some of the stronger Irish contenders to take part in a global recognition contest that could bring huge amounts of business to those very memebers? This all sounds very commercial to me and not like the words of the non profit association which it is supposed to be. Yes – the IIA is a not for profit that is supposed to represent the views of those ‘conducting business via the internet in Ireland.’ In this case, it has simply overlooked the greater good in favour of the ‘greasy till’.
Thanks to WB Yeats for that last quote!
Comments (7 responses)
In one way I think it was poor on Fergal’s behalf to let you think there might be some sort of coming together between the two. But in another, I think it’s right that the IIA should try make the net visionary awards the biggest Irish Internet Awards.
Let’s face it, the majority of us despise the Golden Spider awards because of the pure commercialism of it. The net visionary’s for a while seemed to be a more realistic view of the top people in the Irish Internet industry. (granted this year I don’t seem to know more than a handful of people!)
I don’t think you should have to pay to be shortlisted in an awards ceremony.
As soon as you start charging, people lose respect for it. The talented feel they are lowering themselves by competing against others that are only there because they have paid. I don’t think you have to pay to be shortlisted in the Oscars do you?
The webbys and the Spiders cost money to enter, the net visionaries don’t. That’s the main reason it gets so much respect from the industry.
My name is Fergal O’Byrne, CEO of the IIA. I made a decision when I took on this job two years ago not to hang on on the boards or get
involved with blog comments that slag off or denigrate the IIA in anyway. I would simply be distracted from my core tasks of executing
on my business plan and delivering enhanced value for member companies.
However, this post was sent to me and I feel I have to clarify a few inaccuracies and misrepresentations in it. I have met Maryrose on a number of occasions and
we have discussed the Webby Awards at some length. At last year’s awards we gave thme some small amount of coverage. When Maryrose approached me this year I replied to her
on the IIA’s position.
Let me deal with a few of the issues which I believe need clarification. The reason I was tardy in my reply to Maryrose, as I explained to her, was that I had recently taken
delivered of twin girls and I took some off to attend to my new family. In my two years in this role I have hardly taken any annual leave and even when I went on brief holidays
I was available by email and phone. So, I believe the “many attempts” to contact me is slightly misleading. I did reply saying I would deal with this upon my return.
Secondly, I am disappointed that Maryrose has decided to selectively quote from an email sent to her. I regard correspondence with members as confidential. What is more
worrying is that she has selected the sentences that paint a partial picture. So, in the effort to be fair to all I include my entire respons to her below. dated the 25/07/07, while incidently, I was
still on annual leave):
Hi Maryrose
Missed your call earlier on. I am still on leave until next week. However, regarding the piece below I will include it in the next Digest. Normally this goes to publishers
on the 25th of each month but the July/August one is normally combined. We have just sent out a Board Director alert so we will probably leave it for two weeks, but certainly
before the event. We require 50 words, normally and a link to more but I will edit what you sent me.
You also wanted to discuss the Webby Awards. We are going bigger with the Awards this year – both in terms on venue and brand building. I think it is perhaps better if we
lend our support the Webbys as a separate entity. In other words when you are looking for entrants to the awards we will help Brightspark, as an IIA member company, to
promote them. I think each of the category winners of the Net Visionary awards can be encouraged to enter the Webbys and we can send them in your direction.
But we are trying very hard to build the Net Visionary Awards to be the biggest Irish Internet Awards and so I don’t want to dilute the brand itself.
However, the IIA will fully support your efforts with the Webbys via the blog, the Digest, the website and access to the winners of the Categories in the Net Vis awards.
Regards
Fergal
I think you will clearly see that I mention the phrases; “lend our support”, “we will help Brightspark”, “promote them”, “encouraged to enter the Webbys”. “IIA will fully
support your efforts etc”. I was committed to helping Maryrose promote the awards. I make no apologies that the IIA, as a two person non-profit organisation has
limited resources to respond to the requests of all of our members but I was lending as much as I thought possible to the Webbys.
Tom: I think we agree that the Golden Spiders are despised, but I think we differ as to why. In my opinion, it’s not a bad thing to charge a small fee to enter – it separates the messers from those who are serious. You said yourself that the IIA list is full of people you don’t know, that’s because it’s free. It’s a joke this year – why should a flower delivery site be shortlisted in social contribution? Stretching the definition a bit far.
I think the reason why the Spiders are so totally abhorred is because of the lack of transparency surrounding their selection process. And not wanting to bang on about it, that is why I believe in the Webbys – they have 2 sets of prizes – one is selected by the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences (of which I am a member) and the other is the People’s Choice award.
The problem I’m facing promoting the Webbys is that much of the talent doesn’t have the money or as you say, don’t want to lower themselves to pay to enter. What I”m looking for is some organisation to pay the miniscule entry fee for the strong Irish contenders, and facilitate putting some of the really great Irish sites and applications on the global map. Tom, if you know of anyone with such altruistic motives, please let me know.
Fergal: I’m glad you published your email in full there, so people can see how good you are at your job! When I read those comments about supporting Brightspark and encouraging me as a member of the IIA, I thought ‘what a classic example of good CEO-speak that is.’ You’re good at it, I can tell you! But surely you don’t expect me to take you up on your offer of support when the primary purpose of the email was to retract your previous offer? I feel that enough of my time has been wasted already on this. The reason I published this blog post was to clarify matters for some people who had heard me verbally mention your offer of support last year and were wondering why it had been retracted.
Hi Maryrose
Nice to meet you the other week at the FOWA thing!
Question for you on the Webbys – not to be too negative, but can you give me an example of an indigenous website that would have a chance of being shortlisted up against any of last years winners or even nominated entries:
http://www.webbyawards.com/webbys/current.php?media_id=96&season=11
Again, not being negative, just being realistic, playing devils advocate, etc, etc!
Liam, I intend to do just that on a regular basis over at Webbys4ireland.com.
I think you are being slightly negative and evocative of a previous generation where entrepreneurs were there to be knocked.
Shame.
I wasn’t being negative but only trying to find out where we as a nation of webshops would fair on the webbys?
I haven’t seen anything that might even come close to their shortlist standard – including any of the company I work with’s efforts – in the past year and most of the years gone past…
So what do you mean – knocking entrepreneurs in reference to any of the subject?
I am 100% for the betterment of the industry in Ireland but faults hope and faults economy are not what’s needed now. Realism and appropriate levels of achievement are much better goals from my simple perspective.
Shame indeed…
2 x faults – meant to be false – please amend
sdoopid spell check….
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